The Unity Center for Behavioral Health, Portland's relatively new emergency center for psychiatric patients, is turning away patients.
In Oregon and other states, mental illness and addiction may land you in jail, or worse.
The closeout budget bill for the 2018 session included a number of new social service items, particularly with investments in mental health.
School-based health centers won their request of $950,000 to hire more mental health therapists.
Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer and Sen. Lew Frederick, both Portland Democrats, are back again this year to close additional gaps in the state’s mental health system.
Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, has asked the Oregon Health Authority to negotiate with representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness if the state agency wishes to give more power to coordinated care organizations to manage psychiatric drugs.
The House Health Committee is pushing two simple but possibly life-changing bills for the state’s neediest residents, allowing homeless people to get free copies of their birth certificates and steering Oregon State Hospital officials to sign up patients for federal assistance as they leave the mental hospital.
The health insurance industry may be deviating from its regular authorization process for healthcare to routinely but arbitrarily deny mental health services, according to a complaint to the Insurance Division from a group of behavioral health providers.
For the last few years, the U.S. Department of Justice has been investigating Oregon’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
At least in part because of confrontations between law enforcement and people with mental illnesses.
Affordable housing is in short supply particularly for people living with mental illness and addictions. The $20 million boost can definitely make a difference.
